magic or madness
by perfectlyrose
Summary: Rose has a secret but to get herself and the rest of Team TARDIS out of a sticky situation, she has to let the Doctor in on it. [First in the Everyday Magic 'verse]


First in the Everyday Magic 'verse

* * *

Rose Tyler was magical.

It was a secret Rose was used to keeping from everyone. Her mum had taught her how to control it at home and how to hide it when she was outside of their warded walls. Not even Mickey was privy to the secret of the Tyler women. Rose was prepared to keep the secret for the rest of her life, only breaking her silence if she had a daughter who inherited the gift.

But then the Doctor came into her life and whisked her away on the adventure of a lifetime and she found herself covertly casting muffling spells and unlocking doors during their outings. Within the walls of her room, which the TARDIS had allowed her to ward, she used her magic as freely as she did at home. Tea reheated instantly, the bed was made with a flick of her wrist, and corsets laced themselves when she was called upon to wear one. In the library, blankets floated over to her when she left them on the other side of the room and she stoked the fire back to blazing without ever leaving the sofa.

She didn't tell the Doctor, even when she used her magic in front of him on their adventures. He never noticed because magic never crossed his mind. He was a man of science and magic did not fit into his worldview despite how much he'd seen of the universe.

(Rose saw magic everywhere, on almost every planet. It sparkled at the edges of her vision, wards and charms layered over days or centuries on doors, the subtle shimmer of protection charms on market stalls. She lingered at those stalls, chatted with the proprietors and swapped spells when she had the chance.)

They were stuck in a jail cell, Jack presumably also captured, and the Doctor was sulking. Of course he would say he was working on an escape plan but he was stuck because they'd taken away his sonic. Rose chewed on her bottom lip as she paced their small cell. The locking mechanism was one she could unlock with one of her more complex unlocking spells but the Doctor would definitely notice, sitting there like he was.

"I have a way to get us out of here," Rose finally revealed, coming to a stop in front of the Doctor.

"Do you suddenly have a key to unlock the door?" The Doctor snarked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of sorts," Rose hedged, stomach tying herself in knots as she prepared herself to reveal her secret. He would think she was mad and she desperately didn't want to lose her best friend, lose the man she'd fallen in love with months back. "I don't have a key but I have a way to unlock the door."

He gestured for her to go on.

"I have magic. No, don't interrupt," she said, holding up a hand when he opened his mouth. "I know you're going to tell me that I'm crazy but it's something I've had my whole life and there's magic all over the universe if you know what to look for. I know you're not going to believe me but I can unlock this door."

"Magic isn't real, Rose," the Doctor said slowly, gently.

"Yes it is. People don't talk about it because it makes non-magical people nervous but it's there." She swallowed hard. "You're the only person I've ever told. My mum taught me how to use it, the gift runs in the women of her family, but we've kept it a secret from everyone else."

"Rose…" The Doctor tried again, still achingly gentle like he was afraid a single harsh word would break her.

"No, I'm going to show you," Rose interrupted, not able to stand the lack of belief in his voice.

She turned towards the door and started going through the motions of her spell. The Doctor watched, entranced as Rose glowed a soft gold in front of him. This couldn't be real and yet he was seeing it happen right in front of him, was watching his companion use something she understood as magic.

It was a few minutes before the door clicked and Rose turned to face the Doctor, glow fading from her eyes and skin. "Sorry I didn't warn you about the glow, it only happens when I do more complex magic and I forgot."

"You…you just unlocked the door somehow," he said, surging to his feet with a stunned look on his face. "You glowed and you unlocked the door."

"I told you, I have magic," Rose said with a wan smile. "Now, we can deal with this revelation later, let's get rescue Jack and get back to the TARDIS first."

The Doctor nodded and followed Rose out of the cell.

It was another two hours before the trio stumbled onto the timeship and the Doctor sent them into the Vortex. Jack excused himself quickly, sensing the tension between his friends.

"Are we going to talk about it?" Rose asked tentatively when the Doctor didn't turn back around from where he was fiddling with the console.

He turned slowly, meeting her eyes. "I don't know what to say," he admitted. "I've always discounted the rumors of magic as fanciful and I've been trying to come up with another way to explain what you did today but I can't."

"Just say that you don't see me any differently," Rose pleaded. "I'm still me, you just know my secret now."

"I can't say that, Rose, not if you want me to be honest." Her face fell and he saw the glimmer of tears before she turned her head. He continued quickly. "I can't just forget what I saw today. You did something impossible and brilliant and it does change things."

"I never wanted to change anything," she said with a sniffle.

The Doctor stepped forward and gently grasped her chin, turning her face towards him. "I said it changed things," he said, looking her in the eyes, "I didn't say it changed them for the worse."

"Really?" Rose asked, tentative hope coloring the word.

"Really," the Doctor answered. "I do want to know what else you can do though."

Rose's smile was brilliant, magical, the Doctor thought whimsically. "I've got the walls in my room warded for safety and protection, I can show you in there."

There were a million questions running through the Doctor's mind but when Rose grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers they all quieted. No matter what, magic or madness or anything else the world threw at them, this was the essence of their relationship, clasped hands and trust and a growing love that was more magical than any spell Rose could show him.


End file.
